Panama Canal hits 31,000 Neopanamax transits as US warns China over control

The Panama Canal’s expanded locks have recorded more than 31,000 Neopanamax vessel transits in their first decade, accounting for roughly 28% of traffic in the first eight months of fiscal year 2026 and generating over half of the waterway’s revenue. The milestone highlights the canal’s role in reshaping global shipping routes and supporting international commerce.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library dedication, warned that the United States will not allow China to take over the Panama Canal. He criticised Panama’s post‑handover fee increases and said, “We won’t let China take over the Panama Canal,” emphasizing the canal’s strategic importance for American trade, with the United States remaining its biggest user and China the second‑largest.

The remarks and the operational milestone together underscore the canal’s continued economic and geopolitical significance for the United States, China and Panama.